Stocking



Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STOCKING Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,400

(Cl. .G6-178) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to stockings and particularly to ladies sheer hosiery knit from nylon.

In the knitting of sheer nylon stockings there arise certain difliculties which are peculiar to this yarn. First, in knitting nylon on fine gauge machines such as 40G-needle circular machines slight deviations of the elements, such as needles and sinkers immediately concerned with the stitch formation, due to wear or other imperfections will produce noticeable vertical streaks or shadows in the stocking when it is worn and it is extremely diflicult to avoid these entirely.

Secondly, when the desirable monolament type of nylon yarn is used in weights of the order of 10 to 15 denier, the resulting plain knit stockings exhibit a sheen which most wearers dislike.

Third, plain nylon stockings tend to run much more freely than stockings knit from other yarns to the end that usually before the beginning of a run is noticed and can be stopped it will have extended through the full length of the stocking.

Various suggestions have been offered and various types of stockings have been marketed which are rendered either run-proof or run-resistant by the adoption of other than plain knit structure, for example, through the use of tuck stitches or draw stitches and floats sometimes involving the knitting of the stocking leg and instep of two yarns of which one may be plain knit while the other is involved in special stitches. To the Agreat maiority of wearers these stockings are unacceptable for general use: some women will wear stockings having well defined mesh structure on particular occasions but on other occasions which normally call for sheer, plain stockings they will not tolerate the appearance of a slight pattern which, though scarcely noticeable, does reveal a stocking to be other than a.

plain-knit one.

One object of the present invention is to provide a stocking which, though it embodies a special stitch formation, has an appearance which cannot be distinguished, when the stocking is worn, from the appearance of a plain sheer stocking from a distance of more than two or three-feet. The stitch formation here involved produces a fabric for the leg and instep of a stocking which will not run downwardly for more than a limited number of courses.

Another object of the invention which is attained at the same time as the aforementioned object is'the reduction in visibility, when the stocking is being worn, of streaks or shadows of the type referred to above caused by imperfections in the stitch forming elements or their operations. Under conditions in which streaks or shadows would result if plain knitting were effected, the adoption of special stitch formation in accordance with the present invention, even though the stitch formation itself is invisible as explained above, appears to break up the pattern of recurrence of imperfect stitches to such extent as to render the streaks or shadows practically unnoticeable when the stocking is worn, even though in the formation of plain stitches in the fabric on the same machine the imperfections may result in abnormal or imperfect stitches. It may be here noted that the imperfections of stitches which give rise to these shadows are substantially undetectable upon microscopic examination of the individual stitches: it is apparently only the recurrence of extremely minute imperfections along the wales which results in the streaks.

A further obiect of the invention is the provision of a stocking knit from monolament nylon which will have substantially less sheen than stockings plain knit from such yarn of similar weight. When multilament nylon is knit in plain knitting the presence of the separate iilaments apparently breaks up the reflection of light to such extent as to minimize sheen to a satisfactory degree. Monoiilament nylon, on the other hand, presents a glossy surface which, under the microscope, looks like the surface of a polished metallic rod or wire. When a plain knit stock-v ing is produced from such yarn a glossy surface results.; but when such a yarn is knit in accordance with the inventionl thegreater irregularity of the stitch formation apparently breaks up' theuniformity of reflection of light to such extent as to reduce quite substantially this sheen.

The foregoing and other objects of' thev in-;

Figure 1 is a diagram showinga stitch formation of special type adapted in accordance with the invention for the knitting of the legs and insteps of stockings, this formation involving a repeat of pattern four Wales wide and eight courses long;

Figure 2 is an elevation illustrating the parts of a stocking provided in accordance With the invention;

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a repeat of pattern three Wales Wide and six courses long also resulting in attainment of the objects of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a repeat of pattern ve Wales Wide and ten courses long giving rise to the same results.

Referring rst to Figure 1, there is illustrated a portion of the surface of a sheer leg or instep of a stocking produced in accordance with the invention. Figure 1 is diagrammatic and is not intended to represent the microscopic appearance of the stitches. formation, the various plain stitches'arel not ci the even nature illustrated but rather vary in shape and departure from symmetry depending upon their proximity to the tuck stitches. It is this irregularity which. probably accounts for both the reduction of sheen and suppression of streaks and shadows as mentioned above;

The stitch formation which is involved in accordance with the invention involves a repeat of the arrangement of stitches indicated Withinr the rectangle I in Figure l. This repeat is four wales Wide and eight courses long, the needle Wales being designated by the lettersA to D, inclusive, and the courses byithenumbers l' to 8, inclusive. In the particular rectangle' I shown in Figure 1 the rst course l consists of plain stitches except for'the tuck stitch in Wale Dl The next course 2 `consists of plain stitches including the'elongated stitch in the Wale A which is held on the needle When yarn is seized for course 3. The third course 3 consists of plain stitches except for the tuck stitch in Wale A, and the fourth course 4 consists of plain stitches including the elongated stitch in the Wale B; The subsequent portion of the repeat in therectangle Iis similar and Willl be As will be evident, thev stitches, one of. which occurs in each Wale or each repeat and one of which occurs in every alternate course of each repeat. These tuck stitches run in diagonal lines through the leg and instep, at least, of the stocking.

The pattern of stitchesthus. produced is runresistant in a downward direction, runs in this direction, ofcourse, taking place' along the sinker Wales. A runin -this direction will stop Within eight courses WhenV there isreached thelocation:

ofA av tuck stitch'. The-fabric will run'. upwardly along theneedle Wales but there isiA some1 resist'-l ance evento runs in this: direction" due tothetuck stitch formation.

Asha-s been indicated above',- the'. improved legv andv instep fabric has particular andspecial ad'- vantages in the knittingof nylon yarn. In the case ci both multilament and monolament yarn thevisibility of the streaks andshadows is considerably reduced when the stocking is Worn, as

previously noted. In the case of monofilament Actually, due to the'tuck stitch yarn, however, the advantages of the invention are particularly apparent because of the very considerable reduction of sheen, this also being apparently due to the breaking up oi the uniformity of the stitch pattern.

Consistent with the attainment of these advantages, however, and of major importance from a commercial standpoint, is the fact that the pattern produced by the repeats is substantially indiscernible when the stocking is Worn at viewing distances of more than two to three feet. This is particularly advantageous when the knitting is done with 10 to 15 denier monolament nylon yarn, the stockings then produced being extremely sheer and hence of a type in which the wearer Would not usually tolerate the appearance of a pattern. When viewed as stated the stocking cannot be distinguished from a stocking plain knit from nylon of similar weight With the sole exception that the sheen is substantially less.

Figure 2 illustrates a stocking which is generally conventionalexcept for the knitting of the legA Ill and instep l2 with the fabric illustrated in Figure 1 or one of the equivalent fabrics hereafter described. While this fabric may be continued through the foot I4 the latter may be made plain to give the appearance of-'a reinforced sole or split foot. The Welt 22, the heel i8 and the toe 2l) may be of conventional type. It is desir able to interrupt the pattern formation in a" narrow region I 5 immediately above the'heel, for. example, through aboutA four courses to avoid: straining of the tuck stitches and loreakagetof them Where'they are looped into the heavier yarn of the heel.

It will be understood that the term nylon as, used herein refers to commercial yarn of the type.`

commonly so called comprising one of the usual syntheticlong-chain polymers having recurring 'amide groups in its chain. By monolamentA there is meant such yarn consisting of a single nlament as contrasted with yarns known as multifilament yarns comprising a plurality of such filaments.

The stocking may be made on conventional machines such as that of Patent 1,969,853, the tuck stitches in the needle Wales being produced in accordance With the disclosure of that patent. It will also be clear from the patent hoW the interruption oi the special pattern formation may be accomplished above the heel and in the sole.

While, Where possibly used, the repeat above described Which is four Wales Wide and eight courses long is desirable, there may be used other repeats which will now be described. The necessity for using the other repeats may arise merely because the number of needles in the machine cylinder is not divisible by four. In such case,

uniformity throughout the circumference of the stocking Would have to be interrupted if the repeat four Wales Wide Was used. Ii the number of. needles is indivisible by fourv but is divisible by three then the repeat illustrated inFigureB may be used; or, if the number is, divisible-by' iiveV the repeat illustrated in Figure e. maybe crossesrepresent tuck stitches, thev open spaces' representing'normal stitches. Alternatively, sinceY the design is repeated both Walewiseand course- Wise the crosses' maybe saidy toY represent the elongated held loops which precede the tuck loops. With either mode of interpretation it will be noted that in this repeat tuck stitches appear in every Wale and in every alternate course following the general scheme discussed in connection with Figure l. The use of this repeat produces substantially the same effects as are obtained using the repeat of Figure 1, but, as will be evident, there is a somewhat greater concentration of tuck stitches in the direction of both wales and courses giving rise to a somewhat more pronounced pattern appearance. Nevertheless, in sheer hosiery the pattern is substantially invisible at viewing distances of more than a few feet. The other advantages of the fabric previously described are obtained.

Figure 4 represents a repeat which is ve wales wide and ten courses long and is suitable for formation in machines having numbers of needles divisible by ve. The elements of the diagram in this gure have the same signicance as those described in connection with Figure 3. Though somewhat less desirable than the repeat involving four wale width this repeat also produces substantially the same effects as have been described in detail above. Due to the smaller frequency of reappearance of tuck stitches in the direction of wales and courses the suppression of shadows and of sheen is not quite as pronounced as in the use of the four wale repeat.

It will be evident that following the progression represented by Figures 3, 1 and 4 it is possible to have a similar repeat which is six wales wide and twelve courses long. Here again the same general eifects are produced but the suppression of shadows and of sheen is still less pronounced because of the greater spacing between the successive tuck stitches both coursewise and walewise. Such a repeat six courses wide and twelve courses long is of about the maximum extent which will give substantially advantageous results.

It should be noted that where in any of the repeats a diagonal array of tuck stitches appears running in one direction, it will be evident that been illustrated in the several gures are quite arbitrary since repetition occurs indefinitely along both courses and wales.

The diagonal arrangement of the tuck stitches illustrated in all of the above mentioned repeats is particularly advantageous in breaking up the visibility of streaks which, though quite unnoticeable by another may be visible to a wearer if she looks downwardly at the stockings. The diagonal array in the repeat, of course, gives rise to a continuous spiral pattern running about the leg. This pattern, as stated above, is quite invisible at viewing distances of more than a few feet.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single monolament nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches four wales wide and eight courses long, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for four tuck stitches, one in each wale of each repeat and one in every alternate course of each repeat, the tuck stitches being arranged in diagonal lines through said portions of the stocking, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking is worn at viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially proof against runs in a downward direc-k tion exceeding eight courses, and said portions exhibiting substantially reduced sheen as compared with corresponding portions of stockings plain knit from monolament nylon yarn of similar weight.

2. A stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single monolament nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches four wales wide and eight courses long, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for four tuck stitches, one in each Wale of each repeat and one in every alternate course of each repeat, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking is worn at viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially prooi against runs in a downward direction exceeding eight courses, and said portions exhibiting substantially reduced sheen as compared with corresponding portions of stockings plain knit from monolament nylon yarn of similar weight.

3. A stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches four wales wide and eight courses long, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for four tuck stitches, one in each wale of each repeat and one in every alternate course of each repeat, the tuck stitches being arranged in diagonal lines through said portions of the stocking, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking is worn at viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially proof against runs in a downward direction exceeding eight courses.

4. A stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches four wales wide and eight courses long, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for four tuck stitches, one in each wale of each repeat and one in every alternate course of each repeat, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking is worn at viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially proof against runs in a downward direction exceeding eight courses.

5. A stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches extending walewise through a number of courses equal to twice the number of wales in its extent coursewise, said number of wales being not less than three and not more than six, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for one tuck stitch in each Wale, one of said tuck stitches being in every alternate course of said repeat, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking is worn at viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially proof against runs in a downward direction eX- ceeding the number of courses in a repeat.

6. A'stocking having sheer leg and instep portions knit from a single monofllament nylon yarn with a repeat of stitches extending walewise through a number of courses equal to twice the number of wales in its extent coursewise, said number of wales being not less than three and not more than six, said repeat comprising plain stitches throughout except for one tuck stitch in each wale, one of said tuck stitches being in every alternate course of said repeat, the pattern produced by such repeats being substantially indiscernible when the stocking s-Worn at Viewing distances of more than three feet, said portions being substantially proof against runs in a down- Ward direction exceeding the number of courses in arepeat, and said portions exhibiting 4:substantally reduced sheen as compared with corresponding portions of stockings plain knit from monolament nylon yarnk of similar Weight.v

ALBERT E. PAGE.

REFERENCES CITED Number Number UNITEDv STATES" PATENTS Name Date Gastrich May 26, 1936I Lochhead Nov. 17, 1936. Lochhead Nov. 30, 1937 Carothers May 9, 1939. Clauss Nov. 5, 1940 Clawson Aug. 5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 14, 1907 

